Porsche's latest 911 Turbo is hardly a slug in the first place, but sure as night follows day, here's the inevitable 'S' version, which cranks up the intensity a notch or two.
Making its debut amid the glitz and glamour of the impending Geneva motor show, the latest 911 Turbo S is effectively the successor to forebears from the 993 and 996 generations. But this time the company is introducing the model as a bona-fide flagship for the range -- rather than as a last-gasp limited-run edition.
The high performance 911 Turbo S is offered in Coupe and Cabriolet body styles and will be on sale in Australia from August 2010. It will be priced from $423,300 for the Coupe and $442,800 for the Cabriolet (prices do not include government or delivery charges).
Befitting its top-dog status, peak power rises from the donor car's 368kW to 390kW in the Turbo S, while torque swells to 700Nm (versus 650Nm for the bogger).
In conjunction with Launch Control on the Sport Chrono Package Turbo (which comes as standard in this model), the 911 Turbo S bolts from 0-100 km/h in 3.3 seconds and hits 200km/h in 10.8 seconds. Top speed is quoted at 315km/h.
Stopping power comes from Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes (PCCB), which are both lighter and more fade-resistance than the 911 Turbo's standard-issue anchors.
As with the donor car, the Turbo S's dynamics benefit from Dynamic Engine Mounts and Porsche Torque Vectoring (PTV), which features a mechanical differential lock on the rear axle.
The 911 Turbo S comes exclusively with seven-speed PDK (Porsche's double-clutch sequential gearbox) relaying power to Porsche Traction Management (PTM) all-wheel drive.
Despite its significant increase in oomph, Porsche claims the 911 Turbo S is no thirstier than the stocker, quaffing 11.4 litres/100km on the combined cycle.
The standard goodies list includes Dynamic Bending Lights, 19-inch wheels in RS Spyder design with central locking, a three-spoke sports steering wheel with gearshift paddles, adaptive sports seats, cruise control and a CD/DVD changer.
Also included at no cost is twin-tone leather upholstery in Black/Crema or Black/Titanium Blue, helping justify the price premium for the first Turbo S in five years.
The new Porsche 911 Turbo S launches in Europe in May, and will be offered in both Coupé and Cabriolet guises. It doesn't come cheap though, adding roughly 20 per cent to the cost of a standard 911 Turbo.
Available now in Australia are the just-released 911 Turbo Coupe and Cabriolet, priced at $360,100 and $386,200 respectively (prices do not include government or delivery charges).
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